Spooling apparatus



Nov. 20, 1934.

E. J. M ILVRIED ET AL SPOOLING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1930 '4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .lzzuefIZZZAy;

Nov. 20, 1934. E. J. MCILVRIED El AL SPOOLING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gm a m MM W Nov. 20, 1934. E. J. MCILVRIED ET AL SPOOLING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 3 -fjwenfoms.

m 2w mp SPOOLING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1930 v E. J. MCILVRIED ET AL Nov. 20, 1934.

Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES 'SPOOLING APPARATUS Edwin J. McIlvried, Akron, and Jesse C. Bittman,"

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignors to The Vaughn Machinery Company, corporation of Ohio Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, at

Application July 26, 1930, Serial No. 470,890

9 Claims.

This invention relates to spooling apparatus for winding material which is delivered-in strand or strip form from apparatus, such as wire drawing machinery, or the like.

Our invention, which is hereinafter described in detail, aims to provide an improved form of winding apparatus in which novel means is provided for automatically centering and removably mounting the spool upon which material is to be wound; in which improved means is provided for actuating the spool retaining means; in which novel means is provided for supplying fluid pressure to the spool clamp actuating means; and which embodies a novel control device for preventing the starting of the spooling means at a time when injury to workmen, or damage to the apparatus, might result.

Our invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

The servo-motor disclosed herein for operating the spool retaining means is claimed in copending application, Serial No. 563,738, filed September 19, 1931, now Patent No. 1,943,029, issued Jan. 9, 1934.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrate one embodiment of our invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing winding apparatus constructed according to our invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the winding apparatus of our invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken in the direction indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, and showing our safety control means.

Fig. '7 is a top plan View thereof.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of our safety control means looking toward the outer end of the spool,

and

Fig. 9 is a. sectional elevation taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In illustrating the winding apparatus of our invention we have shown this apparatus as being used in connection with a wire drawing machine but it should :be understood. however, that the utility of our invention is by no means limited to the one practical embodiment disclosed in this application.

The wire drawing machine or the like, with which our winding apparatus may be used, is indicated generally by the reference character 10, and comprises a casing 11 which houses suitable strand working apparatus driven by the'main motor 12 through suitable gearing arranged within the gear case 13. The wire or strip of mate rial 14 which issues from the machine 10, will for convenience be termed a strand, and as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, passes over the sheave 15 arranged near the casing 11, to the reel or spool 16 upon which it is wound. During the winding operation the strand of material is guided by the fingers 17 which move back and forth in timed relation with the speed of rotation of the spool in a well known manner.

The spool upon which the material is to be wound is removably mounted upon, and is driven by the carrier or arbor 18. By means of the antifriction bearings 19 this carrier is rotatably mounted upon the substantially horizontally extending hollow spindle 20 which is clamped between the frame members 21 and 22. A hollow drive shaft 23 extends through the opening of the hollow spindle, and at one end thereof this shaft is drivingly connected to the carrier 18, as by means of the key 24. The opposite end of the drive shaft is provided with an enlargement forming apulley 25 which is driven from the electric motor 26 by means of the belt 2'7.

For removably mounting the spool 16 upon the rotatable carrier 18, we provide the latter with cooperating abutment means comprising an annular shoulder or abutment 28 adjacent the inner end of the carrier which is engaged by one end of the spool, and a relatively movable abutment or clamp 29 adjacent the outer end of the carrier which is adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the opposite end of the spool. As indicated in Fig. 4, these abutments are formed with annular tapered faces which are oppositely inclined. These tapered faces wedgingly engage the ends of the spools mounted on the carrier to thereby provide a driving connection, and also enable the spools to readily center themselves upon the carrier regardless of slight variations which may occur in the dimensions of the spools. v The abutment or clamp 29 is constructed so that it can be expanded radially and also moved axially of the carrier into driving and centering engagement with the spool, and can be contracted for passage through the spool barrel, and to this end is made up of a plurality of circumferentially arranged segments 30. Each of these segments is provided witha pair of spaced blocks or extensions 31 which project intoan annular recess 32 of the carrier 18, the spaces between the pair of extensions of each segment forming radially extending keyways in which the keys33 engage. These keys are fitted into slots provided in the outer end of the carrier so as to extend radially across the-annular recess 32 and thus form a driving means for connecting the segments for rotation with the carrier. The segments are so shaped that when they are assembled in circumferential arrangement, as illustapered surface 34 which is adapted to be brought 7 into engagement with the outer end of the spool;

correspondingly arranged grooves in the segments form an annularrecess in which is arranged an endless tension spring 35 formed of coiled wire. This spring normally urges the segments radially inwardly and tends to hold them in a contracted condition with the outer diameter of the abutment member reduced to a dimension which is less than the inner diameter of the barrel portion of the spool so that'the spool may be readily mounted and dismounted by movingit over the abutment.

It will be noted that at their inner ends the blocks or extensions '31 of the segments are provided with enlargements 36 having rounded surface portions. The rounded enlargements on the extensions serve as loose pivots about which the segments swing during their radial movement. In addition to the swinging movement permitted the tongues, they are also slidable on the driving keys 33 so that the segments are movable axially of the carrier, as. well as radially.

For wedging the segments radially outwardly into centering and driving engagement with the spool, we provide a taperedannular surface 37 at the outer end of the carrier which is-engaged by the segments when they are moved axially of thecarrier by means of the actuating shaft 38 extending through the hollow drive shaft 23. The actuating shaft is operably connected to the segments by means of the disc 39 which is secured to'the outer end of this shaft, and which is operably connected to the segments'by loosely v engaging in an annular recess formed by the lips 40 of the segments. It will be seen from this arrangement thatwhen the actuating shaft 38 ismoved inwardly, that is, toward the right of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 4, the segments 30 are moved in the same direction. During the early part of their inward movement the segments engage the tapered annular surface 3'7 of the carrier, and are wedged radially outwardly by this surface to an expanded condition in which the maximum diameter of the tapered surface 34 is greater than the inner diameter of the spool barrel. Further inward movement of the shaft 38 moves the expanded abutment into driving and centering engagement with the outer end of the spool. When the actuating shaft is moved outwardly to disengage the abutment or clamp 29 from the spool, the outward movement of the tapered surface of the carrier, allows the segments, to be compressed together or retractedv I radially inwardly by. the endless spring 35.

To impart motion to the actuating shaft 38,

we .oonstruct the enlargement at the inner end of the drive shaft 23 in the form of a fluid pressure cylinder 41 having a piston 42, reciprocably mountedtherein. The piston is secured to the end of the actuating shaft 38 so that when fluid pressure is introduced between the cylinder cover 43 and the piston, the movement of the latter actuates the shaft in a direction to disengage the abutment or clamp 29 from the spool. A coil spring 44 arranged within the cylinder 41, engages the piston 42 and normally urges the actuating shaft 38 inwardly in the direction which movesthe segments of the abutment 29 into engagement with the spool.

-' abutment 29 from the spool.

During the normal operation of our Winding apparatus, the segments of the abutment 29 are held in engagement with the spool by the action of the spring 44 against the piston 42, but when the machine has been stopped and the spool is to be removed, fluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder to move the piston against the action of the spring and thereby disengage the clamp or I Since fluid pressure is not maintained in the cylinder while the latter is rotating, the use of a packed joint for supplying the actuating fluid to the cylinder would be undesirable because of the rapid wear to which the parts of such a joint, would be subjected. We

"have therefore devised a fluid supply connection which permits the cylinder to rotate freely during normal operation of the apparatus, and which will automatically seal itself when actuating fluid is supplied to the cylinder. As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, this connection involves the use of a plunger 45 which is slidably mounted in the stationary supporting bracket 46, and which is arranged to extend into the rotatable cylinder through an opening 4". provided centrally of the cylinder cover 43. The plunger has a fluid supply passage 43 therethrough, and at its inner end is provided with a flange portion 49 of larger diameter than the cover opening through which the plunger extends. A ring of suitable sealing material 50 is secured to the flange portion, and when fluid pressure is introduced into the cylinder through the passage of the plunger, this fluid pressure acting against the inner end of the plunger moves the latter axially against the action of the spring 51 to press the sealing ring against the inner surface of the cover so as to provide a seal around the opening through which the plunger extends. Fluid pressure, such as compressed air, is delivered to the supply passage of the plunger by a suitable pipe, or other conducting means 52, which extends into the plunger and slides in the slot 53 of the bracket 46 thereby holding the plunger against rotation with the cylinder. The fiow of fluid to and from the cylinder through the conducting 52 may be controlled by suitable valve means, such as the three-way valve 52'. It will be noted that the cylinder cover opening through which the plunger 45 extends, while being of smaller diameter than the flange portion 49, is of a larger diameter than the body portion of the plunger so that when the fluid pressure in the cylinder has been exhausted through the three-way valve, and the flange portion has been moved away from the cylinder cover by the action of the coil spring 51, the cylinder will be free to rotate independently of the fluid supply means and will not subject the latter to wear,

When the tension of the strand 14 is relieved as by breaking or cutting thereof, unwinding of material from. the spool is prevented by the roller 55 which is adapted to be moved toward the spool and into engagement with the material thereon, by the torque motor 56. The roller is carried by the pivoted bracket 5'7 which is provided with a rack 58 adapted to be moved by the pinion 59 of the torque motor. The control means for en-.

ergizing the torque motor 56 is so devised that immediately upon the opening of the circuit of the spooler motor 26, the torque motor is energized and presses the roller against the material wound on the spool. The roller 55, and the actuating means therefor, are more fully disclosed in, and are claimed in, a copending application Ser. No. 562,6e2, filed Sept. 14, 1931, now Patent ates the roller 55.

No. 1,946,802, issued Feb. 13, 1934, which is a division of application Serial No. 470,889, filed July 26, 1930, in the name of Edwin J. Mcllvried, as inventor.

We have already stated that air pressure is not maintained in the cylinder 41 during the operation of the spooling apparatus, but is supplied to the cylinder only when the abutment 29 is to be moved outwardly to the position where it does not engage the spool. If the motor 26 were to be operated with air pressure in the cylinder, damage to the fluid supply connection to the cylinder might result, and since the abutment 29 would not be in clamping engagement with the spool, injury to workmen, or damage to the apparatus might result from the spool sliding off the carrier, or by the segments 30 being thrown out by centrifugal force. Therefore to prevent the machine operator from starting the spooler motor with air pressure in the cylinder 41, we provide the safety control means shown in Figs. 6 and '7. This control means is associated with the threeway valve 52' and although it may be arranged on any part of the machine, we prefer to mount it upon the casing 66 which houses our spooling apparatus. This casing, it will be noted, is provided with a movable door 61 arran ed opposite the carrier so as to provide an opening through which spools may be inserted and removed. When our control means is mounted in the location shown in Fig. 1, the actuating handle 62 thereof can be arranged near the door 61 so that this handle must moved by the operator before h can close the door.

The control device itself includes a rod 63 which is adapted to be reciprocably moved by swinging the actuating handle 62 upon its pivot. At its inner end the rod is pivoted to the operating lever 64 of the valve 52. Fluid pressure is supplied to the valve by the conduit 65, and when the handle 62 is in the dotted line position of Fig. 6, fluid pressure is being supplied to the cylinder 41 through the conduit 66. When the handle is moved to the full line position of Fig. 6 the supply passage to the conduit 66 is closed and the fluid pressure in the cylinder is exhausted through the conduit 66 and the fitting 67.

Near the valve 52 We provide an electric switch 68 having an operating button 69 adapted to be engaged by the arm 70 which is clamped to the rod 63. This switch is associated with the control circuit for the spooler motor in such a way that when the button 69 is pressed inwardly by movement of the handle 62 to the full line position, the spooler motor can be started, but when the handle is in the dotted line position the button is released and the spooler motor cannot be started.

Adjacent the valve 52 we provide another electric switch '71 having an operating button '72 adapted to be pressed inwardly by movement of the flat spring 73. The electrical connections for this switch are such that the switch controls the energization of the torque motor 56 which actu- The switch itself may be of any suitable form having contacts arranged so that when the button 72 is pressed inwardly by the spring '73 the torque motor is energized and presses the roller against the material Wound on the spool, and when pressure on the button '72 is relieved the torque motor is deenergized. The operating lever 6% for the valve 52 carries a roller 74 which is adapted to move the spring 73 and thereby press the button '72 inwardly when the valveoperating lever is swung in the direction to exhaust the cylinder 41.

To explain the operation of our safety control, let it be assumed that the spool and its driving motor have just been brought to a stop upon the spool having become full. The roller 55 is now being held against the material on the spool by means of the torque motor which was energized upon. the opening of the circuit of the spooler motor. Before the full spool can beremoved from the carrier, the roller 55 must be moved out of engagement with the spool, and also, the spool clamping abutment 29 must be moved out of engagement with the spool. To accomplish these steps the operator must first open the door 61 so as to have access to the actuating handle 62 of the control device. The operator then moves the handle 62 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, which causes the valve lever 64 to shift the valve so as to supply fluid pressure to the cylinder 41 through the conduit 66. The supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder causes the piston therein to be moved to release the abutment 29 from engagement with the spool. This same movement of the valve lever 64 moves the roller 74 to release the switch button '72 and deenergize the torque motor 56. Upon deenergization of the torque motor the roller 55 is moved away from the spool. The movement of the handle 62 to the dotted line position also causes the arm to release the button 69, and with this button in the released position the circuit of the spooler motor cannot be closed. The operator can now remove the full spool without danger of injury to himself or damage to the apparatus by unintentional starting of the spooler motor.

When the full spool has been removed and an empty one substituted, the operator swings the lever 62 to the full line position of Fig.6, and closes the door 61. This movement of the lever 62 causes the switch button 69 to be pressed inwardly so that the spooler motor can be started, and actuates the valve 52 to exhaust the cylinder 41, and also causes the switch button '72 to be pressed inwardly to energize the torque motor and press the roller against the spool. The spooling apparatus is now ready to be set in operation, and upon starting up the spooler motor the torque motor is deenergized and the roller is withdrawn from engagement with the spool.

In disclosing the apparatus which embodies our invention, reference has alreadybeen made to the fingers 17 which provide a means for guiding or la ing the strand as it is wound upon the spool, and although this device does not form an essential part of our invention, we point out that these fingers are reciprocably movable upon the cylindrical guide 75, and are actuated by a'suitable screw which is housed within the cylindrical guide, and which is rotated by means of the belt 76 through a suitable speed reducing device 77.

From the foregoing description of the winding apparatus of our invention it will be readily seen that we have provided a novel form of spool mounting means whereby the spool is automatically centered upon the carrier and is easily and quickly connected for rotation with the carrier or dismounted therefrom. We have also provided simple and compactly arranged means for directly actuating the spool clamping means. It will also be seen that we have provided novel means for supplying fluid pressure to the cylinder which actuates the spool clamping device. By means of the apparatus which we have provided, spools upon which material is to be wound may be quickly and easily mounted upon or dismounted from the carrier and during normal high speed operation of the machine the spool is retained in place without danger ofthe same becoming loosened from the carrier.

Throughout the specification and claims we have used the term .spool to designate the device upon which the strand or strip of material is'wound and it should be understood that we do not use this term in the narrow sense in which it is commonly used to designate the conventional form of spool having flanged ends, but

we use this term in the broader sense in which it designates any suitable form of drum, reel, or spool on which a strand or strip of material is adapted to be wound or taken up.

While we have described the apparatus of our invention in a detailed manner, it should be understood, however, that we do not intend to limit ourselves to the precise details shown and described, but regard our invention as including such changes and modifications as do not involve a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

' Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. In apparatus or the character described the combination of a spool carrier, means for rotating said carrier, switch means for controlling said rotating means, means for retaining a spool on said carrier, fluid pressure responsive means for actuating said retaining means, valve means for controlling the supply of fluid pressure for actuating said retaining means, and operating means common to said switch means and to said valve means.

2. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a rotatable spool carrier,

operating means common to said switch means and to said valve means including an operating handle adapted to extend into the path of closing movement of said door.

3. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a spool carrier, means for driving said carrier, means for controlling said driving means, means for retaining a spool on said carrier, means for controlling the actuation of said retaining means, and operating means common to both of said controlling means.

4. In apparatus of the character described the combination of an arbor adapted to receive a spool, means for retaining the spool on said arbor including an expansible abutment comprising a substantially circularly extending series of contiguous segments, said segments having recesses therein aligned to form an annular groove insaid abutment, and means for moving said segments substantially radially of the arbor to thereby expand said retaining means into engagement with a spool including an actuating member having a disk-like part engaging in said annular groove.

ries of contiguous segments, said segments having portions rockably engaging in said recessesv and also having grooves aligned to form an annular groove in saidhead, and means for rocking said segments on said portions whereby said retaininghead is expanded into engagement with the spool including an actuating member having a disk-like part engaging in said annular recess.

6. In apparatus of the character described the combination of an arbor adapted to receive a spool, said arbor having a plurality of recesses therein,an expansible spool retaining head comprising a substantially circularly extending series of contiguous segments, said segments having portions rockably engaging in said recesses and also having grooves aligned to form an annular groove interiorly of said head, means for rocking said segments on said portions whereby said retaining head is expanded into engagement with the spool including an actuating member having a disk-like part engaging in said annular recess,

and a single spring acting on all of said segments for rocking the same inwardly to thereby contract said retaining head and for retaining said segments in cooperating relation with saiddisklike part.

7. In apparatus of the character described the combination or an arbor adapted to receive a spool, said arbor having a plurality of recesses therein, a cam surface on the arbor adjacent said recesses, an expansible spool retaining head comprising a substantially circularly extending series of contiguous segments, said segments having portions slidably and rockably engaging in said recesses, and means for shifting said head relative to the arbor whereby said segments engage said cam surface and are rocked about said portions to thereby expand said head for engagement with the spool.

8. In apparatus of the character described the combination of arotatable arbor adapted to receive a spool, said arbor having a circumferentially extending series of keyways thereon, a cam surface on said arbor adjacent said series of keyways, an expansible spool retaining head comprising a substantially circularly extending series of contiguous segments, said segments having extensions thereon which slidably and rockably engage in said keyways and drivingly connect said head with said arbor, and means for shifting said head relative to said arbor to cause said segments to engage said cam surface and to be rocked about said extensions whereby said head is expanded for engagement with said spool.

9. In apparatus of the character described the combination of a rotatable arbor adapted to receive a spool, said arbor having a circumferentially extending series of keyways thereon, a cam surface on said arbor adjacent said series of keyways, an expansible spool retaining head comprising a substantially circularly extending series of contiguous segments, said segments having extensions thereon which slidably and rockably engage in said keyways and drivingly connect saidheadwith said arbor, means for shifting said head relative to said arbor to cause said segments to engage said cam surfaces and to be rocked about said extensions whereby said head is expanded for engagement with said spool, and a single spring acting on all of said segments for contracting said head.

EDWIN J. MCILVRIED.

JESSE C. BITTMAN. 

